Another book that's hot off the press is coming to my book club! Vincent Can't Go is a charming story about a boy who isn't allowed to go anywhere because his mother is too afraid. I enjoyed this sweet, simple story, and I'm sure my book clubbers will too! Interactive Game What are you allowed to do? What are you not allowed to do? Let's play a game! After that, we will use an interactive whiteboard to explore new ideas of things we would like to do if we were allowed to do them! Friends Friendship is an integral part of Vincent Can't Go. I'd like for the children at my book club to show me a picture of their friend, what they have in common, why they're friends, and anything else they would like to share! Portraits I love Habib Ali's pictures of 'Most Important Friend' and 'Man of Action'! In class, I'll ask the … [Read more...]
Vincent Can’t Go
We all know what it's like not to be allowed to go somewhere we really want to go. Birthday party. Sleepover. Movie. Dinner. In Vincent's case, though, it's been months since he's been allowed anywhere. Ever since his father was sent to America, his mother doesn't allow him to do tiny things he used to do. He can't even go buy blue Lays from the kirana shop. Buying blue Lays may not be such a big deal. But his best friend's birthday party is a big deal. He knows what his mother will say: 'Vincent Can't Go'. Now, however, Vincent must go. Or else will his best friend even be his best friend any longer? Vincent Can't Go by Mariyam Fatima, illustrated by Habib Ali, is a charming story about children making something happen. At the mature age of eight, surely Vincent is old enough to be doing things for himself! Without ever being cute or patronising, the story takes us through … [Read more...]
Everything Changes And That’s Ok
How do you read picture books? Do you pause as you turn each page, just to admire the pictures? Or do you race through the story and then come back to the pictures to take them in slowly? For me, it depends on the book, but with Everything Changes And That's Ok, I found myself trying to do both! A picture book in verse, each page is a visual treat! My favourite page was probably this one, a gorgeous forest scene: For children, change can be frightening, but Everything Changes and That's Ok reminds us that change is all around us. A playful puppy, full of energy, could grow up to be a dog that likes to lounge about all day. A new school is daunting, but perhaps new friendships are just around the corner. Rhyming verse doesn't always work for me, but this book did, for the most part. It's a gentle, beautiful read, inviting us to slow down and look at how the world changes both … [Read more...]
Dum Dum to the Rescue & Yet More Adventures of Little Shambu
Did you read Shikari Shambu? I did, and I loved each silly adventure. That's why we're reading yet another Little Shambu book at my book club. We read Strangus Derangus in April 2024, In the Bear's Den in November 2024, and it's time to read the last one--Dum Dum to the Rescue.I enjoyed all these stories for their silliness and simplicity, as well as the lovely illustrations. An urban child's interactions with animals may be few and far between, but there are a range of hilarious stories in store for us in this collection. Role Play Any book that is rich in dialogue is perfect for role play. Helping children recognise when characters begin to speak and when they stop, beginning to recognise speech marks and paragraphs ... all this is part of a book club! Animal Encounters Have you ever had a fun/frightening experience with an … [Read more...]
Saving the Sun Dragon
We read Rise of the Earth Dragon, the first book in the Dragon Masters series, nearly four years ago! It was another of those books that set children off on a reading journey because there's a whole series to devour.That's why we're reading Saving the Sun Dragon next month. It's the perfect reading level; it's imaginative, features driven characters, and has a good bit of adventure in it! Colouring Pages I love it when authors share fun activities on their websites! As we read Saving the Sun Dragon, I'll ask parents to print a few sketches that we will colour together in class! Create a Dragon We've read about an earth dragon; we're reading about a sun dragon. What other dragons can we create? What is its name? What powers does it have? Diary of a Dragon Master If you were a dragon master, what would one day in your … [Read more...]
Boo-Boo Investigates
We read Boo-Boo the Eco-Warrior by Tanushree Podder a few months ago, and my book club enjoyed it. For one, it's easy to read because of the way the text is laid out. For another, the stories in the book are simple and engaging. That's why we will be reading another book featuring this friendly ghost---Boo-Boo Investigates. Forest Experiences As Boo-Boo lives in the forest, we will listen to some forest sounds and write what comes to mind. What can you see? What do you hear? What do you think you would be able to smell? While we don't write much at my book club for ages seven and eight, I do like to work with a little creative writing, an introduction of sorts, which will prepare the children for other writing activities later. Mysteries If you had to solve a mystery, what clues would you look for? As we discuss that, we will also … [Read more...]
The Monster Hunters
We're rereading The Monster Hunters by Parinita Shetty at my book club in June 2025!Abhay is convinced that his mother has eyes at the back of her head. She knows everything and sees everything. Yet, she does not seem to believe that there are monsters in every child's room! Why can't she see them?It's time for Abhay and Nitya to get to work. They must find the monsters. In fact, they decide they will go one step further. For a school project where they have to narrate a real-life story, they will hunt down a monster and talk about the experience.I love books with driven characters, determined to prove something against all odds, and Abhay and Nitya are perfect. The book had me chuckling, shaking my head, but rooting for the characters anyway - and what more could I ask for from a book? Monster Games I love monster games! The wonderful thing … [Read more...]
Roop and the River Crossing
What was the Partition? What ripples do we see today, and how do people in power continue to exploit communal politics? These are difficult questions that one often wonders about whether to discuss with children. In some ways, books that talk about our history help, books like Roop and the River Crossing. Roop and the River Crossing written by Samina Mishra and illustrated by Shivam Choudhary uses the metaphor of a kaleidoscope beautifully to look at the Partition from the eyes of a child. In the beginning, the kaleidoscope is fascinating. The ways in which broken bangles create patterns is exciting and fun. But as Roop sees the same fractured reality in the world around her, the toy loses its thrill. Gently and powerfully, the book leads us through the turmoil of Partition. What I find most important since it is a children’s book is that she focuses more on kindness and caring … [Read more...]
The Astoundingly True Adventures of Daydreamer Dev
It's been nearly four years since we read The Absolutely True Adventures of Daydreamer Dev by Ken Spillman. We had fun reading it, and I hope The Astoundingly True Adventures of Daydreamer Dev will be as much fun with a new group of book clubbers!Dev is a highly imaginative character. The smallest things set him off on the wackiest of daydreams. A question asked during his geography lesson sends him daydreaming to Antarctica. A conversation about volcanoes, and he lands up in Whakaari. Where can our book club escapades take us? Where are you? Physically, Dev may be in an autorickshaw, but his mind is far away in New Zealand!What was the last place you read about? What if you were transported there? What do you think you would do, see or eat? Daydreaming Adventures Picture prompts always spark the imagination. I will give each child … [Read more...]
The Chocolate Touch
The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling is an old book, unlike most of the others I select for my book clubs. Its copyright dates back to 1952! And that's not the only thing that makes it different from the books I usually choose. Another important distinction is that it has a clear moral, something I usually avoid. But the story is such fun! Plus, it's about chocolate, so it's already a win, isn't it?John Midas loves chocolate. He can eat it all the time. Or so he thinks. It is only when everything that touches his lips turns to chocolate that he begins to realise that there might just be a limit to the amount of chocolate he can eat.At first, no one believes him. How could they? He has to be lying. How can everything he puts in his mouth turn to chocolate? That's absurd!Eventually, however, everyone realises he is telling the truth. Even the doctor has no choice but to believe … [Read more...]
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